Berkeley Student Food Collective facts for kids
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| Founded | 2010 |
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| Type | Food cooperative |
| Focus | Organic food, local food, fair trade, health food, sustainable food, vegetarian food, vegan food, food justice |
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The Berkeley Student Food Collective (BSFC) is a special grocery store. It's run by students from the University of California, Berkeley. It's also a nonprofit, meaning it focuses on helping people, not just making money. The store is right across from the university, on Bancroft Way.
The store wants everyone to have access to healthy food. This includes organic food (grown naturally) and local food (from nearby farms). They also offer fair trade items, where farmers get a fair price. The BSFC also teaches people about where their food comes from. They explain how food affects our planet and communities. They hold events to share this important information.
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How the BSFC Started
In 2009, a fast food restaurant wanted to open on the UC Berkeley campus. Students felt this restaurant wasn't healthy or good for their community. They started a big campaign to stop it. Over 1,300 people signed a petition. Students also held protests at meetings about the new restaurant.
This movement inspired students to create their own business. They wanted a store that offered better food options for the campus. Students won a $91,000 grant from The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF). This fund helps support green projects. Campus officials helped them find a space. The students opened their store on November 15, 2010.
Early supporters included Michael Pollan, a famous food writer. The Berkeley Student Cooperative also helped. The BSFC even inspired another group called the Cooperative Food Empowerment Directive (CoFED). CoFED helps students start their own sustainable food businesses.
In December 2014, some money was stolen from the collective. This led to a fundraising effort to help them recover. The store also temporarily closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, the collective tried to move to a new location. They started a petition when they faced some challenges.
What You Can Find at the Store
The Berkeley Student Food Collective has a physical store. It's located on Bancroft Way, close to the UC Berkeley campus. The store sells many different items. You can find fresh produce, prepared meals, and snacks. They also offer cleaning supplies and other packaged goods.
The store is open every day, Monday through Sunday. It has shorter hours on the weekends. The collective also lets people order items in bulk. This means you can buy larger amounts of things.
The organization used to sell a weekly box of produce called "The Box." It had $15 worth of local, organic produce. It also came with recipes. The collective also has a "pay-it-forward" program. This helps students who might not have enough money for food.
How the BSFC Works
The BSFC is run like a cooperative. This means that everyone who is a member has a say in how the store works. Anyone can become a member or shop at the store, not just students. Usually, there are about 150 members each school term.
You can become a member by volunteering. You volunteer for two hours a week in the store or on a committee. In return, members get a 10% discount on their purchases. Members also attend meetings every two weeks. At these meetings, members share ideas and vote on important issues.
Members can also join a committee. There are seven committees at the BSFC. These include education, outreach, and fundraising. Joining a committee lets members work on different parts of running the store. It's a great way to meet people and learn about how a cooperative grocery store operates. Members can also run for positions on the Board of Directors.
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors has fifteen different roles. These roles include publicity, education, membership, and finance. Elections for these roles happen every semester. One or two people can share a role. The Board of Directors meets every week. They make important decisions together. Then, they share these decisions with all the members.
See also
- Berkeley Student Cooperative
- List of food cooperatives
